Example risk assessment for food preparation, cooking and service

This example risk assessment applies to restaurants, cafés, sandwich bars, pubs, takeaways or hotel kitchens.

The café employs five permanent staff working a variety of shifts to prepare, cook and serve food. A young person under 16 helps on a Saturday to serve food and load and unload the dishwasher. One staff member does not speak English well. The business is open from 7 am to 5.30 pm.

How was the risk assessment done?

The manager followed the advice at www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/. To identify the hazards and risks, they:

- looked at the guidance on HSE’s web pages for catering and hospitality and young workers;
- walked around the kitchen, the stockroom and all other areas, noting things that might pose a risk;
- talked to staff to learn from their knowledge and experience, and to listen to their concerns and opinions;
- looked at the accident book, to understand which risks previously resulted in incidents.

The manager noted what was already being done to control the risks and recorded any further actions required.

Having put in place the actions the risk assessment identified, the manager discussed the findings with staff, displayed the assessment in a prominent place so all staff could see it and made it part of the induction process for new workers.

They told the young person’s parents about the findings and how risks to that young person will be controlled. They also made sure that the worker who had difficulty understanding English had the safety arrangements explained to her in a language she understood.

The manager will review the risk assessment whenever there are any significant changes such as new work equipment, work activities or workers.

Do not just copy this example and put your company name to it as that would not satisfy the law and would not protect your employees. You must think about the specific hazards and controls your business needs.

The HSE site has a template and other examples to help you produce your own assessment.

## Risk assessment

**Company name:** Smith’s Café\
**Assessment carried out by:** NK Simpson\
**Date assessment carried out:** 9/10/19

| What are the hazards? | Who might be harmed and how? | What are you already doing to control the risks? | What further action do you need to take to control the risks? | Who needs to carry out the action? | When is the action needed by? | Done | |-----------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|------| | Slips and trips | Kitchen/food service staff and customers may be injured if they trip over objects or slip on spillages. | • Good housekeeping – work areas kept tidy, goods stored suitably etc.\
• Kitchen equipment maintained to prevent leaks onto floor.\
• Equipment faults leading to leaks quickly reported to manager.\
• Drainage channels and drip trays provided where spills more likely.\
• Staff clean up spillages (including dry spills) immediately using suitable methods and leave the floor dry.\
• Suitable cleaning materials available.\
• Good lighting in all areas including cold storage areas.\
• No trailing cables or obstruction in walkways.\
• Steps and changes in level highlighted. | Consider whether it is appropriate to change floor surface with better surface roughness. | Manager | 31/10/19 | 31/10/19 | | | | | Remind staff to maintain good standard of housekeeping. | Manager | 11/10/19 | 11/10/19 | | | | | Repair damaged floor tiles by the dishwasher in the kitchen. | Manager | 29/11/19 | 28/11/19 | | | | | Ensure suitable footwear with good grip worn by staff. | Manager | 24/10/19 | 24/10/19 | | What are the hazards? | Who might be harmed and how? | What are you already doing to control the risks? | What further action do you need to take to control the risks? | Who needs to carry out the action? | When is the action needed by? | Done | |-----------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|------| | **Manual handling** | Kitchen staff and food service staff may suffer injuries such as strains or bruising from handling heavy/bulky objects. | • Ingredients bought in package sizes that are light enough for easy handling.\
• Commonly used items and heavy stock stored on shelves at waist height.\
• Suitable mobile steps provided and staff trained to use them safely.\
• Handling aids provided for movement of large/heavy items.\
• Sink at good height to avoid stooping.\
• Staff trained in how to lift safely. | Ensure team working for moving heavier items (eg pots). | Manager | From now on | | | **Contact with steam, hot water, hot oil and hot surfaces** | Kitchen staff and food service staff may suffer scalding or burns injuries. | • Staff trained in risks of hot oils and on procedure for emptying/cleaning fryers.\
• Staff trained in risks of releasing steam.\
• Water mixer taps provided.\
• All staff told to wear long sleeves.\
• Heat-resistant gloves/cloths/aprons provided. | Display ‘hot water’ signs at sinks and ‘hot surface’ signs at hot plates. | Manager | 28/10/19 | 28/10/19 | | **Knives** | Staff involved in food preparation and service could suffer cuts from contact with blades. | • Staff trained to handle knives.\
• Knives suitably stored when not in use.\
• First aid box provided and nominated first aider always on site. | Tell staff not to use knives to remove packaging – suitable cutters will be provided. | Manager and staff | 16/10/19 | 16/10/19 | | What are the hazards? | Who might be harmed and how? | What are you already doing to control the risks? | What further action do you need to take to control the risks? | Who needs to carry out the action? | When is the action needed by? | Done | |----------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|------| | **Food handling** | Frequent hand washing can cause skin damage. Some foods can cause some staff to develop skin allergies. | • Where possible and sensible, staff use tools (cutlery, tongs scoops etc) to handle food rather than hands.\
• Food grade, single-use, non-latex gloves are used for tasks that can cause skin problems, eg salad washing, vegetable peeling and fish filleting.\
• Where handling cannot be avoided, hands are rinsed promptly after finishing the task. | Staff reminded to thoroughly dry hands after washing. | Manager and staff | 14/10/19 | 14/10/19 | | | | | Provide non-taint, nut-oil-free cream for staff to apply regularly to replace the moisture 'stripped' by frequent washing. | Manager and staff | 30/10/19 | 29/10/19 | | | | | Remind staff to check for dry, red or itchy skin on their hands and to tell manager if this occurs. | Manager and staff | 11/10/19 | 11/10/19 | | **Contact with bleach and other cleaning chemicals** | Prolonged contact with water, particularly in combination with detergents, can cause skin damage. Staff cleaning premises risk skin irritation or eye damage from direct contact with bleach and other cleaning products. Vapour may cause breathing problems. | • Dishwasher used instead of washing up by hand.\
• All containers clearly labelled.\
• Where possible, cleaning products marked ‘irritant’ not purchased and milder alternatives bought instead.\
• Long-handled mops and brushes, and strong rubber gloves, provided and used.\
• Staff wash rubber gloves after using them and store them in a clean place. | Staff reminded to thoroughly dry hands after washing. | Manager and staff | 11/10/19 | 11/10/19 | | | | | Provide non-taint, nut-oil-free cream for staff to apply regularly to replace the moisture 'stripped' by frequent washing. | Manager and staff | 30/10/19 | 29/10/19 | | | | | Remind staff to check for dry, red or itchy skin on their hands and to tell manager if this occurs. | Manager and staff | 11/10/19 | 11/10/19 | | What are the hazards? | Who might be harmed and how? | What are you already doing to control the risks? | What further action do you need to take to control the risks? | Who needs to carry out the action? | When is the action needed by? | Done | |-----------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|------| | **Gas appliances** | Staff and customers could suffer serious/fatal injuries as a result of explosion/release of gas. | • Daily check of gas appliance controls.\
• Inspection, service and test carried out by Gas Safe registered engineer every 12 months.\
• Staff know where main isolation tap is and how to turn supply off in an emergency. | Contact Gas Safe registered engineer to fit suitable flame failure device on oven. | Manager | 16/10/19 | 16/10/19 | | **Electrical** | Staff could suffer serious/fatal injuries as a result of electric shock. | • Manager visually inspects the system once a year and is competent to do so.\
• System inspected and tested by an electrician every five years.\
• Staff trained to check equipment before use and to report any defective plugs, discoloured sockets or damaged cable and equipment.\
• Staff know where fuse box is and how to safely switch off electricity in an emergency.\
• Plugs, sockets etc suitable for kitchen environment.\
• Access to fuse box kept clear.\
• Residual current devices (RCDs) installed on supplies to hand-held and portable appliances. | Manager to inspect plugs, cables etc regularly. | Manager | From now on | | What are the hazards? | Who might be harmed and how? | What are you already doing to control the risks? | What further action do you need to take to control the risks? | Who needs to carry out the action? | When is the action needed by? | Done | |----------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------------|------| | Fire | Staff or customers could suffer serious/fatal injuries from burns/smoke inhalation. | Fire risk assessment done as at [www.communities.gov.uk/fire](http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire) and necessary action taken. | None | | | | | Machinery | Staff risk serious injury from contact with dangerous or moving parts of machinery. | • Staff trained in cleaning, assembly and operating procedures.\
• All dangerous parts to machinery suitably guarded.\
• Daily checks of machinery guards before use.\
• Staff trained to spot and report any defective machinery.\
• Safety-critical repairs carried out by competent person.\
• Operating instructions easy to locate. | Remind staff to always isolate (switch off from power supply) machinery before carrying out maintenance or cleaning work. | Manager | 22/10/19 | 21/10/19 |

Published by the Health and Safety Executive 11/19